Technical Field
The present invention relates to a circuit information generating apparatus and a circuit information generating system that automatically generates information to be used for mass production of an experimentally produced electronic circuit.
Background Art
When an electronic circuit that serves a specific function is developed using a microcomputer, a circuit configuration for serving the function is experimentally produced in advance, and an appropriate circuit configuration is built while operation confirmation is performed. In this experimental production stage, as a tool for assisting work, an experimental production tool including a base board including a signal processing unit such as the microcomputer and an extension module connected with the base board to serve the specific function is known.
This experimental production tool uses a wire or a connector for connection between the microcomputer (signal processing unit) mounted on the base board and the extension module. In a case of using the wire, one end of the wire is soldered to an individual terminal of the microcomputer included in the base board, and the other end of the wire is soldered to a terminal of the extension module. In a case of using the connector, a connector terminal is arranged between the base board and the extension module, and connects mutual connectors.
Experimental production work of the electronic circuit is work to combine various extension boards and confirm an operation, and confirm a circuit configuration that serves a desired specific function. Therefore, the extension modules may be replaced at the function confirmation stage, and thus it is desirable to easily change the connection between the extension boards and the base board. JP 05-152705 A describes an example of a connection structure that enables easy attachment/detachment of the base board and the extension modules. JP 05-152705 A describes a structure that connects connection boards mutually layered in parallel and a plurality of component boards arranged in a direction perpendicular to the connection boards with a plurality of connection elements.
There is still a problem to efficiently experimentally produce the electronic circuit even if the base board and the extension modules are connected using the structure described in JP 05-152705 A. That is, to mass produce an electronic circuit having the same configuration as the experimentally produced electronic circuit, a circuit diagram for mass production that configures the electronic circuit as minimally as possible without unnecessary components is required. Further, firmware is also required to operate the manufactured electronic circuit. However, a conventional experimental production tool cannot generate the circuit diagram of the electronic circuit and the firmware from the electronic circuit after the experimental production, and also cannot generate firmware in accordance with the circuit diagram for mass production or the circuit diagram. Further, in the conventional experimental production tool, many unnecessary components such as switching remain attached in the electronic circuit after the experimental production. Further, in the conventional experimental production tool, various pieces of information required in processes after the experimental production need to be separately generated.